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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: pop · suit · clip · mark · prune · pitch · wake · bear

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. pitch — completely
  3. wake — a trail
  4. prune — to trim
  5. suit — clothes
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. pop — soda
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. pop — music
  10. mark — a trace
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. suit — to fit
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. suit — in cards
  15. pop — to visit
  16. bear — the animal
  17. mark — a grade
  18. clip — for paper
  19. prune — to trim
  20. clip — a video
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. clip — to cut
  24. bear — the animal

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com